All set to vote in the BBMP Elections 2015? Here’s a quick guide for you

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After much drama, Bengaluru will finally be going to polls on Saturday August 22nd. And we’re hoping that people come out in droves to vote. Tomorrow will surely be a day of reckoning, not only for those who are standing for the elections, but also for all of Bengaluru’s citizens.

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People queuing up at a polling booth in Whitefield during the previous BBMP elections. Pic: Subramaniam Vincent

Joining the three big players this time, are several contestants from new-age parties too. Many hopefuls who did not get tickets, have decided to contest independently.

Here is Citizen Matters’ guide on the big voting day! This will hopefully give you answers to any doubts you may have. In case you don’t find what you’re looking for in the article, drop us a note in the Comments thread, and we’ll try and answer it for you.

I’m not sure if I am eligible to vote in BBMP elections 2015. What should I do?

If your name features on the electoral roll, that means you are eligible to vote. You can search for your name using your EPIC number (voter ID number) and by keying in your personal details.

Can I vote if my name is not on the electoral roll?

No, you cannot vote if your name is not on the electoral roll. This also applies to those who might have their voter IDs from another state – you cannot vote in Bengaluru. It is also applicable to those who moved from one area to another within Bengaluru – you cannot vote in your new area if you don’t have your name listed in the voter list.

How can I find out which ward I belong to?

While you may live in Indiranagar, the name of your ward is not necessarily the same. I Change My City has a tool that you can use to look for your ward. All you need to do is type out your address, and the name of your ward will be displayed. Click here to get started.

Where can I find information about the candidates for my ward?

You can look for the list of candidates in your ward on the BBMP website. You will find the Candidate Form 7 which has the names of all contestants (in Kannada) contesting in your ward. You can also view the candidate affidavits (in Kannada).

Alternately, you can also find the relevant information on Citizen Matters. Once you’ve identified which ward you belong to, you can click here to see the list of candidates for your ward.

We have also featured around 45 wards – you’ll find the lot of them here. In addition to candidate names, some candidates have shared their profiles with us. For some others, we have shared links to the affidavits.

To know more about your candidate, it may help to simply search for their name online. In case they’ve been in the limelight for work done in the community, or if they have been caught up in some scam, you might find some information on them.

So where do I need to go to cast my vote?

As per a press note released by the BBMP, all you need to do is SMS to get information about your polling booth.

SMS EPIC <10 digit EPIC number> to 8861866993.

Disclaimer: We did try, but it did not seem to work for us. We hope you will have more luck.

A BBMP press note also says that you can ask at Bagalore One centres for information about the same.

Alternately, you can check this page which a reader shared with us. This will help you locate the polling booths in your ward.

What should I carry with me to the polling booth?

Besides yourself and every other member of your family who is eligible to vote, carry your EPIC card and your voter slip. This should have been delivered to your house by party volunteers or BBMP officials.

Once again, if you are eligible to vote, but don’t have your EPIC card, carry a valid photo ID with you.

What can I expect at the polling booth?

There are reportedly 7,436 polling booths across the city to cater to the 76,83,457 voters (Male – 38,76,291, Female – 35,01,728, Others – 1,174) in Bengaluru. So if you can wake up early, it may be best to head to the booth early to ensure you don’t get stuck in long queues.

The polling booths are open from 7 am to 5 pm.

I don’t want to vote for any party. Can I exercise the NOTA option?

Though many voters chose the NOTA (None of the above) option at the time of the Assembly Elections in May 2014, it doesn’t seem like it is an option this time around. The EVMs that will be used in the BBMP polls do not come with the NOTA option. Voting has been made compulsory for municipal and Gram Panchayat elections – you HAVE to vote for someone. Choose the lesser of the evils, if you don’t find good ones!

We in Bangalore are at the beginning of the ‘ruin-then-restore’ cycle. We can either learn from those (like Seoul) who have gone ahead of us down this path and changed course recently, or go down the same path.